The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LENTEN CUSTOM -- FASENACHT

FASENACHT OR KAVENEVAL IS A HOLIDAY CELEBRATED EVERY TUESDAY
BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY. THIS CELEBRATION RESEMBLES MARDI GRAS
CELEBRATIONS, BUT ALSO HAS POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. THE DAY BEGINS
WITH A PARADE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE MASKS AND COSTUMES ON AND PARADE
DOWN MAIN STREET. THE MAYOR AND THE PRESIDENT GIVE THE KEY TO THE
CITY TO A PRINCE AND PRINCESS WHO ARE CHOSEN IN A MANNER SIMILAR
TO OUR BEAUTY CONTESTS. AT NIGHT, FESTIVITIES INCLUDE SPEECHES,
PROGRAMS, DANCING, AND EATING. THE MEAL INCLUDES SAUERKRAUT AND
SALTED PORK CHOPS (RIPPCHEN). THE PROGRAM INCLUDES POLITICAL
MIMICKERY OF OFFICIALS, THEIR MISTAKES, AND THEIR BLUNDERINGS.
OTHER PROGRAMS CENTER AROUND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS --MARRAIGES,
FOR INSTANCE -- THAT ARE OF SPECIAL INTEREST. A TYPICAL TOPIC,
OF THESE PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE, IS THE MARRAIGE OF ARI AND JACKIE
THE MAYOR GIVES A SPEECH, SPECIAL SONGS OF THE TIMES ARE SUNG,
AND AFTER THIS PROGRAM, THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS PRESENT MEDALS
FOR THE BEST ACT.

MEMORIES OF HOMELAND GERMANY ( : ) HOLY WEEK CUSTOMS

IN GERMANY, BEGINNING ON HOLY THURSDAY AND LASTING UP TO EASTER
SUNDAY THERE IS NO DANCING, PARTIES OR POPULAR MUSIC PERMITTED.
EVEN ON THE RADIO FOR THIS THREE DAY PERIOD THE ONLY TYPE OF MUSIC
PERMITTED ARE SELECTIONS BY MOZART, BACH ( , ) ETC.

CHURCH CUSTOM

PHINGSTEN--THIS IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY WHICH IS CELEBRATED ON THE
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION THURSDAY. THE NEXT DAY (MONDAY), IS
ALSO A CELEBRATED HOLIDAY AND THERE IS NO WORK OR SCHOOL. THIS
COMMEMORATES THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE
FORM OF BURNING TONGUES UPON THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST. IT IS AT THIS
TIME THAT THE APOSTLES WERE ENDOWED WITH SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND
WISDOM, AND WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND BE TEACHERS OF MEN.

CHURCH CUSTOM

THIS IS A GERMAN CATHOLIC FEAST WHICH IS CELEBRATED IN HONOR OF THE
FOUNDING OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. IT TAKES PLACE ON THURSDAY EXACTLY
FOUR WEEKS AFTER ASCENSION THURSDAY. IT BEGINS BY CELEBRATING MASS
IN CHURCH. THEN THE HOLY EUCHARIST IS HONORED IN A PROCESSION WHICH
LEAVES FROM THE CHURCH AND GOES TO THE CHURCH GROUNDS. ON THE
GROUNDS ARE SET UP THREE ALTARS. THE PROCESSION GOES TO ALL THREE
ALTARS AND PRAYERS ARE CHANTED AND SONGS ARE SUNG. THE
PROCESSION IS LED BY THE PRIEST AND ALTAR BOYS AND FOLLOWED BY
THE MOST RECENT FIRST COMMUNION CLASS, FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER CHURCH
GROUPS FOR MEN, WOMEN OR CHILDREN.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT'S MEMORIES OF HOMELAND GERMANY. INFORMANT NEVER MENTIONED NAME OF FEAST BUT IT SEEMS TO BE CORPUS
CHRISTI.

REMEDY

FOR TONSIL CASES THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO BOIL POTATOES WITH
THEIR SKINS ON. WHEN THEY ARE DONE MASH THEM A LITTLE WITH A FORK,
PUT THEM IN A SCARF AND WRAP THE SCARF AROUND THE NECK.
THE HEAT WILL DRAW OUT THE INFECTION.

FEVER

FOR A FEVER IT IS SUGGESTED THAT CHERRY JUICE BE CHILLED.
THE LEGS OF THE PATIENT SHOULD BE PACKED IN COLD PACKS
OR ICE PACKS AND THEN COLD CHERRY JUICE SHOULD BE DRUNK.
THIS WILL BREAK THE FEVER.
THE INFORMANT, WHO LEARNED THIS CURE IN HER NATIVE GERMANY,
STILL BELIEVES IN THE RELIABILITY OF THIS CURE.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS

CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY IS CELEBRATED ON TWO DAYS IN A SOMEWHAT
DIFFERENT FASHION FROM AMERICANS. ON DECEMBER 24TH THE FIRST PART OF
THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION TAKES PLACE. IT IS CELEBRATED ON THIS DAY
BECAUSE THIS IS THE DAY THAT CHRIST WAS BORN AND NOT REALLY ON THE
25TH. THEY DO NOT PUT A TREE UP WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. INSTEAD THE
TREE IS SET UP LATE ON THE 23RD AND THE ROOM IS LOCKED WITH TREE AND
PRESENTS INSIDE. THEN IN THE AFTERNOON THE CHILDREN SEE THE TREE
AND PRESENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS CUSTOM

THE SECOND PART OF CHRISTMAS IS CELEBRATED ON ST. NICHOLAS DAY,
JANUARY 6TH. ON THIS DAY SAUNTO COMES TO THE HOMES OF THE CHILDREN,
BRINGING LITTLE GINGERBREAD MEN AND ORANGES TO THE GOOD LITTLE BOYS
AND GIRLS. THE BAD CHILDREN DO NOT RECEIVE GINGERBREAD MEN AND
ORANGES AND SAUNTO INSTEAD TAKES THEM OUTSIDE AND SCOLDS THEM FOR
THEIR MISDEEDS.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT REMEMBERS THIS FROM HER HOMELAND, GERMANY

Data entry tech comment:

St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th. Epiphany (Three Kings' Day) is celebrated on January 6th. Collector recorded "St. Nicholas Day, January 6th," so it's unclear which day informant was remembering.

DANCING CUSTOMS

90% OF ALL BOYS AND GIRLS TAKE DANCING LESSONS IN
PRIVATE DANCING SCHOOLS. THE WALTZ, FOX TROT, TANGO,
ENGLISH WALTZ, AND ROCK AND ROLL. AFTER HALF THE
COURSE IS OVER, A FORMAL DANCE IS HELD AND ATTENDED
BY THE YOUNG ADULTS AND PARENTS. THE SECOND HALF OF
THE COURSE TEACHES MODERN DANCE, SAMBA, RUMBA, CHA CHA,
AND OTHER LATIN DANCES. ETIQUETTE AND MANNERS ARE ALSO
LEARNED IN THIS COURSE. THE FINALE IS A BIG BALL AT
WHICH TUXEDO AND FORMAL DRESS IS WORN.

SCHOOLING

IN GERMANY A FORMAL EDUCATION IS COMPLETE BY THE EIGHTH
GRADE. THEN A TRADE MUST BE SELECTED. THE NEXT THREE
YEARS ARE SIMILAR TO AN APPRENTICESHIP. ONE DAY A
WEEK A TRADE SCHOOL IS ATTENDED, AND THE REST OF THE
WEEK IS SPENT WORKING WITH A QUALIFIED PERSON OF THE
TRADE. DURING THIS TIME, THE APPRENTICE RECEIVES A SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF FULL PAY. THE CLASS WHICH THEY TAKE
TEACH(ES) NOT ONLY THE SKILLS AND TECHNICAL ASPECTS
OF A TRADE, BUT ALSO BOOKKEEPING AND ACCOUNTING. THIS
IS DONE SO THAT THE PERSON IS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN ALL
AREAS OF THE BUSINESS AND WOULD BE QUALIFIED TO OPEN
UP THEIR OWN SHOP BUSINESS, OR TRADE.
THE MAJOR PERCENT OF CHILDREN FOLLOW THIS TREND OF
EDUCATION.

A CHILD, AFTER COMPLETING FOURTH GRADE, TAKES AN EXAM
CALLED HECHOCHULE. IF THE CHILD PASSES THIS EXAM, HE
GOES INTO SPECIAL COURSES WHICH INCLUDE FRENCH, ENGLISH,
SHORTHAND, TYPING, LATIN, AND BOOKKEEPING. EVERY TWO
YEARS ANOTHER TEST IS ADMINISTERED, IF THE CHILD PASSES
HE CONTINUES IN THE PROGRAM; IF NOT HE CHANGES TO THE
TRADE SCHOOL PROGRAM.
AFTER TWELFTH GRADE, THESE SPECIAL PEOPLE THEN GO INTO
SPECIALITIES SUCH AS A LAWYER, SECRETARY, TEACHER, ETC.
THIS IS THE PREPARATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL.

SCHOOLING IN GERMANY IS ALL LEARNING. THEY HAVE NO
SCHOLARSHIPS, HOCKEY , BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, FOOTBALL OR
SOCCER TEAMS SPONSORED BY THE UNIVERSITIES. THE ONLY
MEASURING STICK FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE UNIVERSITIES
IS PASSING THE BATTERY OF TESTS GIVEN FROM THE FOURTH
TO TWELFTH GRADES. THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW FOR
INDIVIDUAL CHOICE IN PLANNING TO GO OR NOT TO GO TO
COLLEGE.

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